Summer Camps Across the Keys

Kelsey Morris, Miranda Mottice, and Ela Hermelin are pictured on the dock after completing the Key West Community Sailing Center session in 2010.

Kelsey Morris, Miranda Mottice, and Ela Hermelin are pictured on the dock after completing the Key West Community Sailing Center session in 2010.

Splish Splash all about Jacobs Aquatic

Summer camp at the Jacobs Aquatic Center affords Keys kids ages 5-12 plenty of activities and entertainment all summer long. Besides plenty of water activities, this camp will offer movies, arts and crafts and daily activities on the events field. Camp begins June 13 and continues through August. 19. Hours are 8 am to 5:30 pm, and participants are asked to bring a swimsuit, towel, sunscreen, change of clothes, packed lunch or money to purchase lunch. Afternoon snacks are provided. Camp cost is $30 per day or $100 per week per camper. For more information, please call Kelli Cuppett at (305) 453-SWIM.

Drummers and Magic and Reading, Oh my!

The Key Largo Library will continue to host story time for wee ones throughout the summer. Every Tuesday and Thursday from 10:30 am – 12 noon, there will be stories, songs and interactive play for children 6 and under.

The kickoff program for kids ages 6-12 will be June 16 with a performance from the Miami Taiko drummers. The Thursday and Saturday activities will begin at 2 pm and will include stories and crafts, gaming with Wii and board games, magic show performances and visitors from the Miami Zoo’s Zoo on Wheels! A Summer Reading Club will help track summer reading, and prizes and awards will be available prior to the reconvening of school.

Once Upon a Time in Islamorada

“One World – Many Stories!” is the theme this summer at Islamorada Public Library. Children will explore the world through stories, songs, games and other activities and learn that different cultures may have similar stories to tell. The 2011 Summer Reading Program is open to young people, preschool through young adult, with programs, prize drawings, story time, a reading club and more. Families are invited to join the Read-to-Me portion of the program. The program will be held on Fridays from 2-4pm June 24 through July 29. No programs are scheduled for Friday, July 1 and Friday, July 8. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. All programs are free of charge. To register and for more information, call the library at (305) 664-4645.

Florida Bay Outfitters Kayak Camp

FBO’s Summer Kayak Camp offers kids an exciting entry into the world of paddlesports. From day one, when kids learn parts of a boat, to the final day when they show off newfound talents, this weeklong camp is chocked full of activity. Games, instruction and paddling excursions are designed around teaching essential paddle skills, like the forward, stop and reverse strokes, entering and exiting boats, self-rescues and on the water safety. Lunch will be provided and the full-day schedule is friendly to working parents.

There are currently two sessions scheduled for July 11-15 for kids aged 8-11 and July 18-22 for kids aged 12-16 (one year of kids kayak camp is required if camper is 12 years old). A third session will be scheduled for July 25-29 if there is enough interest. Activities include kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, nature study at different locations in the Keys (teens go to the Everglades for one day).

Kayak camp is $295 per week and includes a healthy lunch and snacks. Drop off any time after 8:30 as camp starts at 9 am and runs to 5 pm each day (with late pick ups available until 6).

Teachers need Camp, too

The Pigeon Key Foundation & Marine Science Center is offering an all-inclusive marine science education program through our weekend-long teacher workshops. Sign up for June 17-19 or July 1-3, 2011. Teachers will be housed on island with all programs, snorkel gear, collecting resources, and meals provided. Programs offered include Marine Habitats of the Florida Keys, Fish ID, Invertebrate Lab, Shark Dissection/Lab, Marine Adaptations, and more. Also included is a reef snorkel trip aboard a 40-foot catamaran. Cost is only $250 and includes all of the above mentioned. Space is limited so contact the pigeon key staff soon to reserve your spot. For questions or to reserve your spot, contact [email protected] or (305) 743-5999.

Summer group activities abound with PULSE youth

Beginning June 20, 2011, the youth group, PULSE, from New Life Church, will offer activities through the summer months.

• Tuesday afternoons – travel to Tavernier for a matinee movie

• Wednesdays at 7 pm – Book Study at the church

• Thursdays at 6:30 pm – dinner and youth group at the church

• Fridays – various activities such as rock-climbing, ice-skating, back-to-school shopping, a visit to the zoo, and miniature golf

• Sundays at 6 pm at the Marathon Community Park – Ultimate Frisbee

An annual weeklong trip is also planned to Camp Living Stones located on 70 acres on the side of Starr Mountain in beautiful East Tennessee.

The week at Camp Living Stones includes activities such as zip lines, ropes courses, waterfall jumping, rock-climbing, white-water rafting and lots of fun and fellowship.

If you are in 6th – 12th grade, you are invited to take part in youth group activities.

For a complete summer schedule or more information about PULSE Youth Group, call Youth Pastor, Jeff Cox, at (305) 587-7844. New Life Church is located at 4711 Overseas Highway in Marathon.

One World, Many Stories

The Marathon Public Library, located at 3251 Overseas Hwy., has scheduled a summer youth program designed for elementary aged children to explore Caribbean music composition, the Florida Public Archeology Network and numerous other activities yet to be determined. The program, which will run June 16 through August 4 every Thursday morning from 10-11, is free and open to the public. For more information, call (305) 289-6093.

Camp Adventure in Marathon

Registration for Camp Adventure, the summer camp run by the City of Marathon’s Parks and Recreation Department, is now accepting applications for the 9-week program. The camp is for ages 6-13 and registration may be for a week, any combination of weeks, or the entire summer. Space is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. The cost per week is $80 for each child and will include two field trips to Jacobs Aquatic Center. The camp dates are from June 13 – August 12. For more information or to register, call the park office at 305-743-6598.

Sea Camp

Daycamp at Seacamp is a summer program for children ages 10 to 13. The Daycamp program will begin Monday June 20 and run weekly, Monday through Friday, until the final week beginning August 15. Daycamp runs from 8:30am to 5:30pm, and the 2011 cost for a week in Daycamp is $275 per week, with lunch provided. Transportation from Marathon down to Key West is also available for an additional fee. At Daycamp, children will learn about marine science in a fun, hands-on atmosphere. Each week has a unique array of marine science themes including Coral Reef Ecology, Animal Behavior, Fish Biology and much more! Along with learning marine science, your child will participate in fun and exciting activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, games, arts, crafts and swimming.

Please contact the Brynn Morey, Daycamp Director, at (305) 872-2331 ext. 223 or email [email protected] for additional information on this amazing program and how you can enroll your child.

Reef Relief Coral Camp

Enjoy the summer exploring coral reefs and the amazing marine ecology at Coral Camp 2011, a summer program at the Reef Relief Environmental Center, 631 Greene Street in Key West. Campers experience hands-on learning, interactive games, group activities and state-of-the-art videos of life at the amazing living coral reef. Field trips include visits to the offshore coral reef, tour marine life at the Key West Aquarium and an interpretive shoreline walk. Weekly sessions are available June 13 through August 15. Cost is $215 per session or $370 for two sessions. Scholarships are available through Reef Relief, a non-profit membership organization dedicated to protecting coral reefs. www.reefrelief.org (305) 294-3100

Three Kids’ Camps and more at FKCC

Florida Keys Community College and Aquatics Program Director Lori Bosco are offering a plethora of programs for kids of all ages this summer. Fit Camp offers weekly sessions beginning June 13 through August 15 for kids ages 7-11 from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Activities include swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, arts and crafts, fitness activities and indoor/outdoor games. Cost is $175 per week, $325 for two children and $415 for three children. Leadership Camp includes two-week sessions for kids ages 11-14 from 9 am to 2 pm June 20-July 1 and July 25-August 5. This camp encompasses the American Red Cross Junior Lifeguard Program that includes swimming, rescue skills, CPR, First Aid and snorkeling skills. Cost is $225 per session with a limit of 10 campers per session. Swim Camp is available July 11-15 and August 8-12 for kids ages 9 and up. Cost is $100 per week with a limit of 15 campers who must be able to swim front crawl and back crawl 100 yards each. Activities include stretches and dry land training, watching technique videos and improving stroke performance. For more information, contact Bosco at (305) 809-3562 or email [email protected].

The Douglass Gym and Community Center (293-8305) is collaborating with FKCC’s College Reach Out Program (CROP- program for low-income, at-risk students beginning in middle school) to offer a free summer camp at the Douglass Gym for any student in grades 6-12. Lunch will be provided by Monroe County School District’s summer lunch program. Activities include lots of educational field trips to places like FKCC, Eco Discovery Center, Lighthouse, Little White House, Monroe County Public Library and West Martello Towers.

Discovery Saturdays continue into summer

The Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center offers a free program on the third Saturday of each month for children ages kindergarten through fifth grade. Discovery Saturday includes games, crafts and opportunities to learn more about Sea Turtles on May 21; Hurricanes on June 18; and Sharks and Humans on July 16 from 9:30-11:30 am. Call (305) 809-4750 for more details. The Eco-Discovery Center is located at 35 East Quay Road in Key West inside the Truman Annex.

Day camp at the museum

Have you ever wanted to live like a pirate? Hunt for buried treasure? Survive a shipwreck and live on a deserted island? Touch gold? Learn all about turtles?

Then discover Keys history in an exciting hands-on way with the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum Florida Keys Exploration Camp.Explore the history of the Florida Keys and the waters that surround. Campers will learn about pirates, hidden treasure, gold, shipwrecks and turtles. There will be hands on learning through role play, art, reading and field trips. Camp will be held June 20 to June 24, and cost is $135 for the week. Second child discounts are available. Camp is for children entering 3rd to 6th grades and is taught by Monroe County teacher Ms. Meaghan Pierce. For information call 305-294-2633, ext. 22